Bernstein test
Bernstein test: A test to find out if heartburn is caused by acid in the esophagus, and so to diagnose GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). The test involves dripping a mild acid, similar to stomach acid, through a tube placed in the esophagus. Also known as esophageal acid infusion test.
Read Also:
- Berry aneurysm
Berry aneurysm: A small aneurysm that looks like a berry and classically occurs at the point at which a cerebral artery departs from the circular artery (the circle of Willis) at the base of the brain. Berry aneurysms frequently rupture and bleed.
- Berserk
Berserk: Frenzied, enraged. From the Norse berserkr, one of the old Norse warriors who worked themselves into a frenzy.
- Beryllium
Beryllium: A toxic metal found in ores containing other elements that is used in making metal alloys for nuclear reactors and the aerospace industry. Acute exposure to beryllium fumes can cause a severe, sometimes fatal pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs). Chronic overexposure to beryllium is more common and causes a diffuse inflammatory reaction in the […]
- Berzelius, Jons Jacob
Berzelius, Jons Jacob: Celebrated Swedish chemist (1779-1848). Berzelius’s early life was marked by a struggle to obtain a satisfactory education. In 1796 he entered the University of Uppsala but his studies were interrupted because of lack of funds. He began his chemical experiments without any official encouragement and from 1799 he worked during the summers […]
- Beta adrenergic blocking agents
Beta adrenergic blocking agents: A class of drugs, also called beta blockers, that block beta-adrenergic substances such as adrenaline (epinephrine), a key agent in the “sympathetic” portion of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. By blocking the action of the sympathetic nervous system on the heart, these agents relieve stress on the heart. They slow the […]